TNAG-0869-FCO40-1079-Air-services-between-China--Hong-Kong-and-the-UK-1979 — Page 55

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GR 280

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING 110832Z SEP 79

TO PRIORITY FCO

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CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 184/55

RECEIVED IN ALONE NO. 61 2 SEP 1979

MEGISTRY

INDER

ло

25.9 £

Taken

TELEGRAM NUMBER 794 OF 11 SEPTEMBER 79

INFO PRIORITY DOT (CAIR) ROUTINE HONG KONG

999

24S YOUR TELNO 497:

LUSA

CAAC USE OF HEATHROW / GATWICK

1. I MENTIONED THIS CUESTION INFORMALLY TO ASST. FOREIGN

MINISTER SONG ZHIQUANG ON 8 SEPTEMBER AT A MEETING IN CONNECTION

WITH MR HEATH'S VISIT. SONG SAID THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF WE COULD PROVIDE DETAILS OF AIRLINES OPERATING INTO GATWICK.

2. ACCORDINGLY, WHEN I CALLED ON SONG ON 10 SEPTEMBER TO DISCUSS CURRENT BUSINESS AFTER MY RETURN FROM LEAVE, I SPORE AS IN YOUR TUR, AND HANDED OVER A PIECE OF PAPER MENTIONING ADDITIONALLY BRITISH AIRWAYS AND BRITISH CALEDONIAN USE, OF GATWICK. WHEN I MENTIONED AIR CANADA AND IBERIA, SONG NOTED THAT DISCUSSION WAS STILL CONTINUING ON THEIR MOVE TO GATWICK.

3. SONG PROMISED TO PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO CAAC FOR THEM

TO STUDY. HE UNDERSTOOD THEIR MAIN CONSIDERATION WAS INTERLINING

FACILITIES. MANY PASSENGERS WOULD NOT BE TERMINATING IN LONDON

BUT TRANSITING TO OTHER DESTINATIONS. I POINTED OUT THAT

GATWICK HAD GOOD TRANSIT FACILITIES TO EUROPE, AFRICA AND LATIN

AMERICA.

CONFIDENTIAL

/4.. SONG HAD